Mahabharata Key Crediting

Created and written by Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes, using poetry from Carole Satyamurti’s "Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling"
Directed by Ravi Jain
With Associate Director Miriam Fernandes
Original concept developed with Jenny Koons
A Why Not Theatre Production
Toronto run presented by Canadian Stage with Why Not Theatre
Ottawa run presented by the National Arts Centre
Originally commissioned and presented by the Shaw Festival
In association with Barbican, London

Mahabharata is a contemporary take on a Sanskrit epic that is more than four thousand years old and foundational to Indian culture. This gripping story of a family feud explores profound philosophical and spiritual ideas. Why Not Theatre’s large-scale retelling stars a cast entirely of performers from the South Asian diaspora and presents a complex hybrid of cultures, balancing East and West, traditional and contemporary. Mahabharata is a visually stunning spectacle presented in two parts that takes audiences on a journey through the past in order to write a thrilling new future. 

King Janamejaya is holding a ritual sacrifice in which he will kill all the snakes in the world to avenge his father’s death. In hopes of ending this cycle of revenge, a storyteller is summoned to tell King Janamejaya the tale of The Mahabharata. The storyteller tells of the rival Pandava and Kaurava clans and the choices that lead to their infamous Game of Dice.

Through playful narration, classical Indian dance, and a live band, the ensemble tells the stories of humans struggling to build a just world in the face of competition, jealousy, and rage. Exploring the themes of storytelling, ecocide, and dharma (empathy), Part 1 begins Mahabharata’s epic journey that asks, “When everyone believes they are right and their opponents wrong, how can one end a spiral of revenge?”

Before the Performance: We invite the audience to join us for cocktails (cash bar) at 5:30 PM, followed by a community meal at 6:00 PM in Vistas Dining Room with a welcome from director Ravi Jain.

Optional Overnight Package: For a complete experience, guests can book an optional overnight package, including a one-night stay at Banff Centre Hotel and breakfast.